


Wildfire

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: The Space Between the First and Last Breath [5]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Boys In Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, M/M, Missing Scene, Protective Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Short & Sweet, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26836975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: Joe waits for Nicky to wake up in the lab.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: The Space Between the First and Last Breath [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947598
Comments: 4
Kudos: 248
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Wildfire

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Waking up restrained.

Joe watched and waited, heart in his chest, body aching something fierce.

Nicky was still, too still where he was strapped to the medical chair next to him, his pale face looking almost translucent in the harsh lighting, the darkness beneath his eyes like a bone deep bruise. It was a decidedly unpleasant sight and Joe hated the feeling of helplessness that washed through him, unable to do anything but clench his fists and slam his head against the chair. Useless, all of it.

The clock ticked noisily, a countdown he latched onto, unable to stop himself from noticing when Nicky had been silent for nearly thirty minutes. He supposed he should just be grateful the doctor grew tired of the heart monitors…for surely that would have driven him mental hours ago.

In lieu of anything else, Joe began to chew on his lip, reveling in the sharper sting, different to the sensations in the rest of his body, trying to stay calm even as his stomach twisted uncomfortably. From what he’d understood, the drug hadn’t been meant to kill Nicky, whatever it was they’d pumped into him, but that didn’t make him feel any better.

Nicky needed some sleep, but this was not restful.

When he looked closely enough, there was a tension around his closed eyes, the edges of his mouth, enough so to suggest pain and that was unacceptable. Joe had never wanted to kill someone so much as he did in that moment…even all those years ago when he had felt utter hatred for the man next to him…it paled in comparison to this.

Joe knew his anger was disproportionate to the situation, knew that if his beloved Nicolò was awake he would counsel him with patience and calm, if only to keep him from exploding and making things worse for himself. It was difficult to remember that when he did not have that soft, honeyed voice murmuring next to him.

Swallowing thickly, Joe winced, his throat sore from the hour he spent talking to Nicky, trying to coax him out of unconsciousness and back to his side. He had known it wouldn’t work but that never stopped him from trying, he needed to believe his words had some affect. Despite himself, his arms tensed, flexing roughly against the restraints, wishing he could just reach across and shake the man he loved.

The hole in his chest, the one where loneliness and despair seemed to sit at the ready, threatened to gape wide if he was doomed to be on his own for too much longer. Joe’s eyes flicked to the heart monitor, noted that his Nicky seemed to be doing fine, if slightly elevated and that should sooth him, should offer some reassurance…it did not.

He was trying very hard not to think of Quynh and her own helplessness.

Joe also tried very hard not to think about what would happen, what he would do if they tried to separate him from Nicky. They had agreed to play along, at least to a certain degree…confident that Booker and Andy were coming for them and to avoid being taken from each other’s side but every time he had to watch Nicky grit his teeth against the pain, he had to swallow his own cries of protest. He knew it was the same for his beloved and it was proving to be a most acute torture.

A sudden intake of breath made Joe lift his own head, watching as Nicolò’s chest expanded and his body arched slightly, enough to show he was waking. When his eyes did not open following that movement, Joe’s heart seemed to stutter in his chest and he was calling out softly, trying to reach him, to grip him tight and pull him the rest of the way into the light.

“Nicolò, ritorno, sono qui.”

His eyes opened and Joe found himself abruptly drowning in the endless shades of blue he’d feared he wouldn’t see again for far too long. Nicky blinked sluggishly at him and Joe tried to smile, to show him that they were alright but it only lasted a moment.

Nicky went to move his arms, to reach for him he knew, only to feel the ties holding him in place. Just like that, the clouds parted from his face and Nicky’s head shot up as he yanked hard on the restraints, entire body going tense.

“Nicolò, stop. It’s alright.”

“Yusuf?”

His voice was hoarse, and Joe’s heart felt like it was in a vice as his lover turned uncertain eyes on him, “do you remember where we are?”

It took too long, Joe could see that, and he found his fingers curling into fists as the urge to reach across and pull Nicky into his arms, washed through him with unbearable strength. Nicky noticed, he always noticed, and with a sigh his head fell back against the chair.

“Nicolò?”

For a moment his eyes slid closed again and Joe nearly begged him to open them, to not leave him alone again, not yet. He did not need to; his Nicky had never been cruel, and he would not begin today. Nicolò opened his eyes and offered him a weary smile, “I’m alright Joe.”

“You’re sure?”

Nicky let out a little huff, shifted and winced a little, not that Joe blamed him, they were both feeling the phantom aches from the doctor’s tests, “yes I’m fine. You?”

“Good,” Joe replied and only got a raised eyebrow in response. “Really, I’m good.”

He was, now that Nicky was awake and seemed to be fine, his heart had stopped its erratic beating and the fearful tremors in his body had dissipated, warmed by the loving look in his beloved’s eyes.

It used to frighten Joe, the strength of his love for Nicky, the way a simple look from him could make everything alright or tear it to shreds…the way he would fall to his knees and beg just to be allowed to remain in that steady, calm presence, to be watched with those knowing eyes, to be allowed to love and be loved by those hands, his mouth and his heart.

Joe supposed it showed on his face because Nicky’s gaze seem to soften, that reassuring little smile crooking the edges of his lips, and the words did not need to be said, did not need to be given life because they were already written on their souls with wildfire.

I love you


End file.
